Studio Practice: Studio Brief 2 - Final book breakdown (page-by-page)

Font cover - Simplistic looking design, letting the cross speak for it's self. Black background enhances the scary factor along with the cross and type. American typewriter as the font, gives the impression of someone applying the type hands on without any digital interference. The cross also looks hand done. I wanted the cross to look normal but slightly off putting and sinister. The paint dripping off the cross questions an ulterior motive.

Back cover - The back cover is the exact same type and layout as the font. However once you look at the cross for a while you will notice the cross is upside down. Upside down crosses are symbolic for the devil. I want the user to suddenly find this out, which will hopefully make them feel scared and to start asking themselves questions about the meaning behind why i flipped the cross. The whole reason is to communicate influence. This idea of the cult leaders hiding behind something as innocent and simple as christen values but quickly brainwashing their followers mind and turning it into some thing a lot more misguided.

Content page - Big featured image taking up the 75% of the page. I wanted an image that would be welcoming but with a twist. The image is off a group of people with their arms out in an loving way. However the group of people are clansman from the kkk, who are notorious racists and murderous. Left hand side is a column for the text showing the contents of the book. Every feature of the book is positioned in a way to strenghten my technique to make the book as creepy, scary and sinister as possible. Right hand side is a brief description of what a cult is in case the user is confused about the kind of book their about to jump into.

Introduction to new cult page - These introduction pages will have an image taking up 75% of the double page spread, similar to the contents page. Having the same format creates consistency, which makes the book a lot easier to design and allows me to quickly add and create more pages. The page is for the cult 'Peoples temple' Another important feature that i have decided for this book is to tell the truth and show exactly what these cults leaders did, it's important not to hide the reality of these evil cult leader. With this decision the book has become somewhat of a book that some people may not feel comfortable to look at but it's clear who my target audience and tone of voice is. The image is only a selected few of the innocent people of Peoples temple whom Jim Jones murdered. On the left their is a quote by Jim Jones. The quote should hopefully give the user a quick intro into the world of Jim Jones. The white column is slightly rotated to add to the sinister effect.

Information page - This spread consists of 2 columns on each Page for text. The type has been slightly rotated like the white column in the previous design, all for the same reasons. The spread has three images in a diagonal positioning. I felt the positioning of the images gave the spread a post-modern aesthetics and it goes in order from Jim Jones as an individual, then onto him as a cult leader giving speeches and finally brainwashing his leaders into believing him, which inevitably leads to their deaths. Each image is in black and white as i wanted to limit the colours to only black and white and one selected colour to enhance certain aspects if needed. In this case the selected colour of red was needed. I used the red crossed to emphasise danger and just a way of saying no to the situation. Also i wanted the cross to represents death like they've been crossed of on a register.

Information page - Expressionist page. With this double page spread I wanted to show just how many people where killed by Jim Jones and to give an perspective on the amount. I decided to list all the names of the people who where killed and spread them across the whole double page. I hoped this would put things into perspective and to get the audience to think about the 914 people without any other distractions on the page. I also decided to have the whole spread in a bold thick red colour. The red would come across striking, sudden and unexpected due to all the previous pages being black and white. Red also represents blood, danger and just a negative feeling in general.

Introduction to new cult page - Similar layout and grid set up for the previous intro page. Image on this page is off a UFO to represent the cult. The cult of heavens gate believed in UFOs and aliens. This image fitted perfectly, with the cults agendas while still fitting the concept of a scary nature. Quote is positioned in the same place, the quote again quickly sums up how bizarre their thinking was.

Information page - same set up as other information page. Same 2 column layout and slightly rotated text. Marshall Applewhite was the leader of heavens gate and was perceived as slightly weird due to his thoughts and opinions about life. With this double page spread i wanted to get across the weirdness of the cult. When the cult members committed suicide they wore brand new Nike trainers. I wanted to focus on this feature and incorporate it within the design. Nike's slogan "just do it" would visually sum up my concept and message. The "Just do it" font was in a sans serif typeface to make it more readable and strong. Just in case no one under stood the slogan, i added in Nike's logo. I didn't want the spread to look like i was making fun of the cults history, I also wanted people to see that people actually gave their life for something, which is so foreign to us outsiders but to many was their whole life. With this in mind i added a photo off the member who committed suicide in their beds just to bring home the realisation of the end result.

Expressionist page - As I've already mentioned Heavens gate believe in aliens in UFO coming to earth and collecting them. laying round with this idea with type. Essentially the design starts off from the continuation of information from the previous page. At around 30% down the page the text starts to get blocked and interrupted by aliens. Text becomes blocked by black rectangles and the typeface changes into an alien typeface. Once it changed the text becomes thicker and the existing grids becomes disrupted and broken.

Intro to cult page - same grid and layout as the other intro pages apart from the image and quote as they would relate to the new cult. Moving onto the Manson family, i wanted to show his members and not only Charles Manson. As most people only link Charles Manson to the cult and end up forgetting the fact that there were others who done all the murdering for Charles Manson. Same black and white image to again keep with the consistency across the book.

Information page - Post modern layout, sticking with the off-centred, slightly rotated type and imagery. To show that Charles Manson wasn't the only member, i wanted to add in the faces off all who took part in the killings of innocent people in the name of Helter Skelter. Simple layout but effective as the mug shots will capture the users eye along with the creepy image of Charles Manson.

Expressionist page - just to show how weird and creepy Charles Manson is, i dedicated a whole double page spread with just his face. I want the user to flick to this page and to be scared and creeped out by the face expression and the sinister swastika symbol located on his head. Even though there is no text, i still think the visual semiotics still links in with the scary nature of the overall book.

Intro to new cult - again still the same format and consistency that's been Incorporated throughout the whole book. KKK is the final cult in the book. I knew i could play around with many ideas with this cult, due to how well known they are across the world, also KKK fits perfectly with the creepy and scary persona, I'm trying to represent. The image is off a ceremony for the KKK member in which they are dressed in there tradition Klansman outfit. The burning cross in the middle perfectly sums up the visual concept.

Klu Klux Klan is probably the most outdated cult still in existence today, they are most know for their disregard against black people. Being racist and even lynching black people are only the hand full of stuff they have done. My idea for this double page spread and the next spread was to create a segregation of white and black. For this spread everything from is in a light colour and is very clean looking, text is a light grey and background also to show as much whiteness as possible. The text is still visible to read at pleasure but everything is in complete contrast to the next pace.

This would be the 'black' side of the page. However the contrast is dramatic. Mostly everything is black and the design it's self is a bit busy. Using a hard hitting image of black people being lynched will visually transmit discomfort back to the user. I want the user to look at the image and feel slightly guilty that humans could ever be that cruel to other humans just because of the colour of their skin. Another main feature on this page is the scribbled out text. The reason for this is to show that nobody (The kkk) cares about black people or what they have to say. Hopefully the page comes across in the right manner and people can understand the segregation, if not its still a good talking point.

Final Word - This page will essentially sum up the whole book with one quote. The quote is by Jim Jones the cult leader of Peoples Temple. I tried to find the creepiest and scary quote which sums up the obsessive, controlling and illusive nature of cults and how they suck you in and take over your mind.

Images below show the grid systems in action just to give a sense of how they all worked and the different grids for the different layouts.